Optimizing QoS for Voice and Video using DiffServ-MPLS

Abstract

Abstract: The new emerging QoS architectures are motivated by the desire to improve the overall performance of an IP network. Differentiated Services (Diffserv) define a model for implementing scalable differentiation of QoS in the Internet. Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a fast label-based switching technique that offers new QoS capabilities for large scale IP networks. When an MPLS network supports DiffServ, traffic flows can receive class-based network treatment that provides bases for QoS guarantees. The objective of this work is to study the influence of the QoS mechanism via DiffServ-MPLS on network parameters such as jitter, delay and throughput. The comprehensive study showed general improvement in the throughput, jitter and delay particularly of voice and video transmission when using DiffServ-aware MPLS network as compared to pure IP only or MPLS only. Keywords: VOIP, MPLS, Diffserv QoS, OPNET 1. Introduction Various multimedia applications such as video streaming, VOIP and video conference are gaining demand bringing with it a massive congestion to the IP networks. With the emergences of multimedia applications in IP networks, bandwidth consumption has become a critical issue among the Internet community and Internet providers. Also a lot of the recent multimedia applications and services not only have bandwidth requirements, but also require other QoS assurances, like end-to-end delay, jitter or packet loss likelihood. These QoS requirements put new challenges on Internet service providers [1].